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Oahu Real Estate
Oahu is filled with an energy and attitude all its own. As the most populated island of the Hawaiian Island chain, you’ll find an amazing display of diversity and culture in practically every neighborhood. From unique ethnic groups that bond together to an eclectic mix of nationalities and demographics, each neighborhood has its own character and charm.
Hawaii Loa Ridge is an upscale, gated community that houses millionaire estates. One of the most prized features are the spectacular views of the ocean, Diamond Head crater to the west or Koko Head crater in the. It is an exclusive neighborhood where even those with the means to personally design their homes must get approval from the developer’s review board to ensure that all estates meet specific guidelines and requirements so as not to block the treasured view of others’ lots. Residents do have the option of making the quick drive further into Hawaii Kai where the Hawaii Kai Towne Center and Koko Marina have a large variety of supermarkets, multiplex theatres, ample food venues, and a wholesale distributor, Costco.
Additionally, Kahala Mall hosts Macy’s department store, Barnes & Noble bookstore, and has a small movie theatre as well. There is also a new Wholefoods Market for grocery shopping at the mall, and a Times Supermarket nearby. This community is also a short drive from the Niu Valley Shopping Center and the Aina Haina Shopping center, smaller complexes that offer their own charming restaurants and service options. Hawaii Loa Ridge is part of the Kaiser complex with several elementary schools and Niu Valley Middle School feeding into Kaiser High School.
Aina Haina means “Hind’s Land” in the native Hawaiian language, and is so named after the Hind-Clarke Dairy (and founder Robert Hind) which was a staple business in the area during early years of development. Today the community that sits nestled in Aina Haina valley is a close group who deeply invested in the recreational and commercial development of their home. This neighborhood consists largely of single-family homes that stretch from Kalanianaole Highway to deep into the valley. The Aina Haina Shopping Center provides residents with options for grocery shopping, several restaurant options, banks, a hair salon, and a conveniently located gas station.
In recent years, community members have been concerned with the vitality of the shopping center after years of wear have taken their toll on the structure. There are ongoing plans to renovate the aging building and community members have a very strong presence in the procedures. The neighborhood has a strong community association that has been bringing residents together to address the issues that impact them all. The 40-year-old Aina Haina Community Association consists of concerned citizens who volunteer their services for the betterment of the district. This area falls into the Kaiser Complex school district that includes five elementary schools, Niu Valley Middle School, and Kaiser High School. Holy Nativity School, a private co-ed school run by Holy Nativity Episcopal Church, also accepts students from age 3 to 6th grade.
Waialae Iki Ridge is home to a premier gated community of executive homes that began development in 1986. This location graces residents with spectacular scenic views of Kahala, Diamond Head, and Oahu’s south shore. Another perk is instant access to the cool trade winds that bluster along the ridge. Restaurants and a number of boutiques are available at Kahala Mall, a nearby shopping center that contains the most condensed area of the commercial property. Kahala Mall hosts Macy’s department store, Barnes & Noble bookstore, and has a small movie theatre as well. There is also a new Wholefoods Market for grocery shopping at the mall, and a Times Supermarket nearby. This community is also a short drive from the Niu Valley Shopping Center and the Aina Haina Shopping center, smaller complexes that offer their own charming restaurants and service options. Further along Kalanianaole Highway are Koko Marina and Hawaii Kai Towne Center where a large variety of shops and restaurants can be found.
The Waialae Iki Community Association ensures that property values are maintained with a set of guidelines for residences, scheduled maintenance, and is responsible for the upkeep of roads and shared community infrastructures. There is a private recreation club, tennis courts, and an entertainment center available for residents on the property.
In the 1960s, Henry J. Kaiser dreamed of creating a California marina-style community and began dredging the area of the Maunalua fishpond and Kuapa wetlands. The result was the transformation of Hawaii Kai from a “country area” used for farming into one of the most affluent communities on Oahu. Hawaii Kai is considered one of the premier suburban areas of the island and includes single-family residences, townhomes and condominiums. West Marina is the neighborhood in Hawaii Kai in direct vicinity to Koko Marina, from which it gets its name. The marina area itself is surrounded by a variety of restaurants and other services including supermarkets, fitness centers, and even medical facilities so that the 12-mile trek to downtown Honolulu is rarely necessary for residents. There is also a movie theatre, ample playgrounds, and nearby golf courses and tennis courts available for recreational use. For outdoor and water sports, Maunaloa Bay is frequented by residents and visitors alike for water skiing, boating, and canoe paddling.
Additionally, Hanauma Bay—a nature preserve which remains one of the top attractions on Oahu—is just a short drive up the road. West Marina is part of the Kaiser complex with several elementary schools and Niu Valley Middle School feeding into Kaiser High School.
The Diamond Head community is a luxury area consisting of high-end condominiums and opulent residences along the coastline and areas surrounding the infamous landmark. This area is known as “Hawaii’s Gold Coast” because of the prime location that gives residents unobstructed, scenic, oceantfront views of the vast Pacific. This is the upscale neighborhood that houses mansions like Doris Duke’s Shangri-La and the expansive estate featured on MTV’s The Real World: Hawaii. Those who reside in this lavish community have ample access to outdoor activities.
The Diamond Head State Monument has a hiking trail that leads up to the iconic crater and the grounds of the state park that surrounds it is equipped with rest stations and picnic areas. Additionally, the sprawling green grasses of Kapiolani Park are located a short jaunt away. The park serves as a practice field for various local sports teams year-round, and has tennis courts and an archery range available to the public. Kapiolani Park grounds also include the Waikiki Band Stand and Waikiki Shell Arena where local artists and nationally known musicians perform on a regular basis. Diamond Head sits on the outskirts of Waikiki so the hustle and bustle of the tourist locale are absent from the luxury neighborhood, but residents can still take advantage of the many restaurants and shopping options of the two-mile strip.
Kahala is an upscale neighborhood that contains some of the most expensive beachfront property in the nation, and one of the wealthiest communities on Oahu. The area has long been a destination frequented by royalty, movie stars and the rich and famous. The community is made of mansion-like houses with sprawling grounds and ample public access to quiet beaches along the Kahala Coast.
The Waialae Country Club has a stunning 18-hole course and driving range for golf aficionados, and is the location that hosts the Sony Open in Hawaii. The luxurious Kahala Hotel and Resort is frequented by residents for its world-class spa and dining options. More restaurants and a number of boutiques are also available at Kahala Mall, a nearby shopping center that contains most of the commercial property in the district. Kahala Mall hosts Macy’s department store, Barnes & Noble bookstore, and has a small movie theatre as well. There is also a new Wholefoods Market for grocery shopping at the mall, and a Times Supermarket nearby.
Kahala is part of the Kalani Complex school district which includes five elementary schools that feed into Kaimuki Middle School and Kalani High School. Waialae Public Charter School is also located within this district.
Niu Valley houses a mid- to high-priced community in the ridges of the Ko’olau Mountain’s far eastern foothills. The weather on the eastern coast of Oahu is drier and sunnier, which compliments the many beach access points available. Kalanianaole Highway is the access point to get in and out of Niu Valley, and the area sits between commercial venues of Kahala Mall and the upscale centers in Hawaii Kai. Restaurants and a number of boutiques are available at Kahala Mall, a nearby shopping center that contains most condensed area of the commercial property. Kahala Mall hosts Macy’s department store, Barnes & Noble bookstore, and has a small movie theatre as well. There is also a new Wholefoods Market for grocery shopping at the mall, and a Times Supermarket nearby.
This community is also a short drive from the Niu Valley Shopping Center and the Aina Haina Shopping center, smaller complexes that offer their own charming restaurants and service options. Further along Kalanianaole Highway are Koko Marina and Hawaii Kai Towne Center where a large variety of shops and restaurants can be found. Niu Valley is part of the Kaiser complex with several elementary schools and Niu Valley Middle School feeding into Kaiser High School.
Ala Moana is a community of high-rise condominiums and low-rise apartments located in the heart of Honolulu, with access to both urban necessities and plenty of outdoor leisure activities. The district hosts multiple high-end, luxury condominiums offering views of the lush mountains on one side and the calm waters of the Pacific Ocean on the other.
Ala Moana is highly accessible by foot or bicycle, with attractions like a beach park, boat harbor, multiplex theatre, and shopping center all within walking distance of most of the condominiums. At the heart of the area is Ala Moana Shopping Center, the nation’s largest open-air mall. Big name department stores that anchor the mall include Macy’s, Sears, Neiman Marcus, and Nordstrom, but the mall houses over 200 stores ranging from high-end fashion to casual wear. A number of eateries varying from the food court to fine-dining options are available in the shopping center; as well as nightlife venues at the Mai Tai Bar and Pearl Ultralounge.
The Victoria Ward Centers are a short jaunt away and also offer a wide variety of restaurants, smaller boutique shops, and the megaplex Ward Theatres. Ala Moana Beach Park is a 76-acre stretch that inclues a gentle beach perfect for swimming, bike paths, picnic areas, and comfort stations for the general public. Adjacent to the park is Ala Wai Yacht Harbor where a variety of patrons moor their boats for recreational sailing.
Kaimuki is an older neighborhood on Oahu—in fact, a bulk of the residential and commercial properties are over 100 years old and many of the homes are owned by multigenerational families. A community of spacious single-family homes, many of the properties in this area range around 5,000 square feet with only a few of them being whittle down to smaller areas by residents over the years. Kaimuki has most of its homes clustered together on block after block of hilly street. The commercial areas are contained separately, mostly along Waialae and Kapahulu Avenues. This allows residents to enjoy all the conveniences of close restaurants and services without ever-present noise throughout the day. Both main streets have a large variety of restaurants in every ethnicity and price range and many, like Rainbow Drive-Inn, are traditional local haunts that every generation in Hawaii frequent.
Aside from the multiple shops and eateries that line Waialae and Kapahulu, there are several clusters of commercial businesses including Market City Shopping Center, and the Avenue Shops at Safeway Center, a handful of new shops that is anchored by the largest Safeway in the state. There are also several community parks that are equipped with basketball courts and large open spaces for recreational use.
The Kaimuki Complex school district consists of seven elementary schools, Washington and Jarrett Middle Schools, and Kaimuki High School. The grounds of Kaimuki High School also house the Kaimuki Community School, a learning center for adults.
Waikiki remains Oahu’s most iconic tourist attraction, but it is also home to a diverse and vibrant residential neighborhood. This community of condominiums shares the 2-mile stretch of urban Waikiki with visitors from all over the world. Residential life in Waikiki has morphed from a small community of surfers and artists in the 1960s to an urbanized neighborhood of high-rises after a $100 million initiative by several private developers in the 1970s. Family-oriented attractions in the area include the Honolulu Zoo, Waikiki Aquarium, and the famous Waikiki shoreline with its soft sand and gentle surf. Although much of the district is hotels and condominiums, several nearby open spaces remain available for residents to leisurely enjoy greenery.
Kapiolani Park serves as a practice arena for various sports and activities that local teams utilize year-round. The park also features tennis courts and an archery range that is available to the public.
The Kapiolani Bandstand and Waikiki Shell offer concert venues for rising, local artists and nationally recognized acts to share their music and message with the people of Hawaii. The school district in Waikiki offers several elementary school options (Waikiki Elementary, Ala Wai Elementary, and Thomas Jefferson Elementary), which feed into the Kaimuki High School and Kalani High School complex districts.
Do you like a coastal setting? If so, this neighborhood may be to your liking. The Portlock neighborhood is on the ocean, a bay, or inlet. Often such coastal places have amenities and recreational activities on the waterfront that are attractive to residents and visitors alike. In addition to being coastal, Portlock is a very nautical neighborhood, meaning that it is somewhat historic, walkable, densely populated and on the water. This gives the neighborhood a very nautical feel, with some seaside and shipping feel, which some may really enjoy the sights and sounds of.
In addition, some neighborhoods are made up of apartments. Some consist of row houses, and most – by far – consist of a mixture of housing types. But the Portlock neighborhood stands out due to the total dominance of detached, single-family homes here. There are nearly no other types of residential real estate in the neighborhood. In fact, this neighborhood has a higher proportion of single-family homes in its real estate stock than 99.3% of all American neighborhoods.
Furthermore, one way that the Portlock neighborhood really stands out, is that it has more large 4, 5, or additional bedroom homes and real estate than 95.1% of the neighborhoods in America. When you walk or drive around this neighborhood, you’ll instantly notice the size of the homes here which definitely makes a strong visual statement.
Neighborhood information about Kuliouou: Kuliouou is a valley in east Honolulu that is nestled between Niu Valley and Hawaii Kai. It is also the neighborhood furthest east in the Diamond Head region of MLS. Unlike the nearby valleys of Niu Valley and Aina Haina that are comprised of primarily land that is zoned R-10 and R-7.5, Kuliouou has a large concentration of R-10 and R-5 zoned land. Those that know Kuliouou well know there was an area that was condemned due to land movement. In addition to single family homes, Kuliouou is one of the few neighborhoods in East Oahu that also offers condos for sale.
Kuliouou has a rich history in that at one point, the majority of the valley was owned by the Reeves family (yes Keanu is a member). Today, many family members still call Kuliouou home. Every year, there’s a tradition where the family gathers for the Kuliouou Olympics. It’s an event like not other on Oahu.
Kuliouou also has great amenities such as the Kuliouou Trail in the mountains and Kuliouou Beach Park at the sea on Maunaloa Bay.
